Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
East Lancashire Museum of Freemasonry

The Museum at Bridge Street came about at the instigation of the then Earl of Derby in 1913 when he announced the proposal to build a new Masonic Hall in Manchester to be the headquarters of the Province and which was to have a dedicated Museum and Library. In the event the Hall was not completed until 1929 when the Library and Museum became part of the new building.

Last year, it was decided that the Library would be better served by transferring the books to the John Rylands Library in Deansgate where they will be available for researchers during opening hours following the re-opening of John Rylands at the end of May 2007.

The Museum has now spread into the Library room and displays some splendid Masonic artefacts some of which are shown here.

This is the chain and jewel worn by the first Provincial Grand Master of the Province, RWBro John Crossley who was in office from 1825 to 1830. As a matter of interest the collar jewel was made by Thomas Harper, a noted Masonic jeweller, who was also the Deputy Grand Master at the time of the Union in 1817.

 

 

 

These miniature jewels (on show in the Library) are wonderful examples of the jewel maker's art and cover a very wide range of Lodges, Chapters, Charities and other Orders and Degrees. The massive display of jewels in the centre belonged to the Rt Hon the Earl of Derby who was RW Provincial Grand Master for nearly fifty years from 1899 to 1948.

 

This creamware jug, probably made in Liverpool around 1830, bears an enormous range of Masonic symbols as well as a Masonic rhyme.

 

 

 

A beautiful little ivory handled gavel

 

 

 

A Bristol Blue glass flask, wheel engraved with Masonic symbols, probably Scottish, dating from the mid-19th century

 

 

 

A jewel made by French prisoners of war in about 1805. These jewels were made from all sorts of scraps of material, wire, mother-of-pearl, wood, metal and so on, and then sold to pay for extras to supplement their living expenses

 

 

   

 

An Irish Past Master's collar jewel set with cut crystals

 

   

 

 

A wooden snuff box from around 1850 with lacquered Masonic symbols decoration

 

 

The Museum and Library are situated on the 2nd floor at Freemasons' Hall, Bridge Street, Manchester M3 3BT and if you would like further information contact either Ivan Eastwood or Ivan Goldberg at the Provincial Office on 0161 832 6256.

 


WBro Ivan J Goldberg PProvGSwdBr
Deputy Curator
May 2007

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